Device for electro-mechanically recording telegraphic impulses



July 15, 1958 R. HELL ET AL 2,843,670

DEVICE FOR ELECTRO-MECHANICALLY RECORDING TELEGRAPHIC IMPULSES FiledFeb. 11, 1955 United States Patent DEVICE FOR ELECTRO-MECHANICALLY RE-CORDING TELEGRAPHIC IMPULSES Rudolf Hell and Hans Daudt,Kiel-Dietrichsdorf, Germany, assignors to Siemens & HalskeAktiengesellschaft, Munich and Berlin, Germany, a German corporationApplication February 11, 1955, Serial No. 487,628

Claims priority, application Germany February 16, 1954 Claims. (Cl.178-96) This invention is concerned with a device forelectromechanically recording telegraphic impulses.

In telegraphy, numerous recording devices are known which permittelegraphic signals to be recorded on ordinary paper. For example, codewriters or printers are known wherein a rotating roller on which the inkis held by adhesion, is continuously inked by means of an ink-supplyingfelt roll and wherein the armature of the receiver magnet presses therecording tape against the inked roller for the duration of a codesignal. Similarly operating devices are found in tape printers of aknown teleprinter system and in page printers for facsimile telegraphyin which the paper is pressed against an inked printing spiral duringthe picture impulses. Furthermore, page printing arrangements are knownin which the paper rests upon a stationary supporting surface 'while aninkfilled printing wheel is moved against the paper during the signalimpulses. These last-mentioned devices employing an ink-filled Wheelhave .the disadvantages that the inertia of the printing mechanism israther high, and that the ink tends to dry up during prolonged intervalsof non-use; the previously mentioned devices employing adhesively inkedrollers present on the other hand the advantage of insuring reliable inktransfer even after prolonged interruptions of the operation. It isunfortunate that these relatively bulky inking systems, comprising theink-supplying felt roller and the printing roller, cannot be movedagainst the paper sheet, clamped onto a picture drum, with sufficientspeed to keep up with the timing of the picture impulses.

The inking system according to the present invention employs a resilientink carrier which travels in a closed path and which is not operativelyactuated to participate bodily in the movement of the stylus or printingelement relative to the recording paper. ,This printing stylus isdesigned as a rotating sphere or ball or as a small wheel; and only atthat point at which this stylus bears against the ink carrier does thelatter yield due to its inherent resiliency and participate in theprinting motion. In this manner, the inertia of the ink carrier properis without significance as far as the printing speed is concerned; andthe inked stylus ball or wheel may be made sufficiently small and may bemounted on a sufficiently lightweight printing armature or lever toaccommodate even the highest picture impulse frequencies. The use of aball stylus moreover affords the advantages of adhesive ink applicationwhich are well known. Since, due to the elasticity of the ink carrier,the ball stylus bears against the carrier continuously, that is, notonly during reception of signals (printing) but also during the impulseintervals, the ball will be continuously inked and will be rotated byfrictional drive imparted thereto by the ink carrier. I

The resilient ink carrier according to the present invention may be asoft-rubber wheel or an endless rubber belt passing over two rolls andpositively driven. The drive may, for example be transmitted from asmall motor through a flexible shaft; alternatively, the drive shaft forthe ink carrier may be connected with the means for feeding the recordpaper, as through the intermediary of a friction wheel. Advantageously,the ink carrier in turn is inked by means of a rotating, inkimpregnatedfelt roller which is connected to the drive shaft for the ink carrier,for example through a gearing.

In order to maintain the ball stylus and the inking system at apredetermined distance from the recording surface, all correspondingparts are mounted on a common base plate which is pivotally mounted atone end and carrying near its other end an adjustable stop which bearsagainst the recording surface.

The ball stylus is mounted in a journal carried by the printing lever,the journal being advantageously slotted at its free end to assure acontinuous ink film on the ball.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in theaccompanying diagrammatic drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view of the printing mechanism ofa facsimile telegraph receiver;

Fig. 2 is a view, on a larger scale, showing the ball stylus of Fig. 1in its relationship to adjacent parts; and

Fig. 3 is an end view of the ball stylus and its mounting.

Referring now to the drawing, a picture drum 1 has a paper sheet 2secured thereto. Ordinary recording paper may be used which need not bespecially treated for this purpose. Mounted adjacent the drum 1 is aplate 3 which carries the printing mechanism. During rotation of thedrum 1, the plate 3 with the printing elements thereon is slowlydisplaced longitudinally of the generatrix of the drum so that a helicaltrace is produced on the recording paper carried by the drum. Themechanism for effecting this longitudinal displacement has not beenshown in the drawing.

The plate 3 is mounted for rocking about pivot 4 and is biased in thedirection of the drum 1 by the force of a spring 5 so as to urge thestop 6 of the plate into sliding engagement with the paper 2 on thedrum. The step foot 6 is threadedly mounted so as to permit adjustmentof the spacing of plate 3 from drum 1 to the desired value bycorresponding setting of the stop.

Rotatably mounted on the plate 3 is a shaft 7 to which is secured afriction wheel 8, bearing against paper 2 carried by the drum 1. Anelastic endless rubber belt 12 passes over roll 9 and a further roll 11.Gear 10 meshes with a further gear 13 connected to a felt roll 14 Thisroll is in intimate contact with the rubber belt 12.

.Rotation of drum 1 drives the friction wheel .8 and thus the rubberbelt 12. The gearing 8, 13 further'transmits the drive to the felt roll14 which is saturated with ink and continuously applies ink to therubber belt 12.

The receiver electromagnet 15 with winding 16 is energized uponreception of picture impulses and attracts its armature 17 in oppositionto the force exerted by a spring 19. The armature 17 is privoded at 18and constitutes the printing lever.

Rotatably mounted at the free end of the printing lever is the ballstylus 20 which is in intimate engagement with the moving rubber belt12. The belt continuously rotates the ball and simultaneously appliesink thereto from thelayer of ink carried thereby. When the armature 17is attracted, the ball stylus 20 strikes against the paper sheet 2 ondrum 1 and thereby produces an imprint. The rubber belt 12, because ofits inherent elasticity, remains in engagement with the ball stylus 29even when the latter moves toward the paper sheet 2. The stylus is inthis manner continuously rotated and inked by the belt 12 even duringthe printing operation.

The rubber belt 12 not only serves to drive and ink the 'ball stylus 20but also acts at the same time as a damper for the printing lever 17 soas to prevent the latter from bounding during high-speed printingoperation.

Fig. 2 shows the ball stylus 29 on a greatly enlarged scale. The ball isdisposed in a journal carried by the printing lever 17. In order toprevent the ball from dropping out of its seat in the journal, thejournal comprises sheet metal retainers 271 and 22 having bent-overrims. From the ink layer 12a carried by the belt 12, a thin ink film 23is applied to the ball 2% and is continuously renewed by the belt.

Fig. 3 shows the printing lever 17 with the ball stylus 20 in endelevation. The ball journal is formed with a slot 24, and within thisslot the ball is not in engagement with its seat. This insures that theink film 23 on the ball 2% will always be present during rotation-of theball. The figure also shows the arcuate sheet metal retainer members 21on opposite sides of the slot 24, for journalling the ball in its seat.

The drive for the rubber belt 12 of Fig. 1 may alternatively be effectedby a flexible shaft extending from the drive shaft of a small motor tothe shaft 7. In that case, friction wheel 4'; would be omitted. As afurther modification, the elastic rubber belt 12 may be replaced by asufficiently resilient soft-rubber wheel.

Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A device for electro-mechanically recording on a suitable recordtelegraphic signals comprising a magnet for receiving said signals, amovably mounted armature controlled by said magnet, a printing leverextending from said armature, a stylus element rotatably disposed in ajournal carried by said printing lever at one end thereof, said magnetactuating said armature responsive to signals received thereby so as tomove said printing lever to move said stylus element into engagementwith said record for the purpose of imprinting thereon markscorresponding to said signals, a rotatable resilient ink carrier, meansfor rotating said ink carrier, said ink carrier being in engagement withsaid stylus element for continuously rotat- 40 2,361,174 ing and at thesame time continuously inking it in any 2,582,043

4 position thereof relative to said record including its operativeprinting position in engagement with said record and its nonoperativeprinting position out of engagement with said record.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said stylus element is a ball.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said stylus element is awheel-like element.

4. A device according to claim 1, comprising a journal for said styluselement which has a slot formed therein one side thereof to assure acontinuous ink film thereon.

5. A device according to claim 1, comprising a soft rubber rollconstituting said resilient ink carrier.

6. A device according to claim 1, comprising an endless rubber beltconstituting said rotatable resilient ink carrier, guide rollers forrotatably mounting said belt, and means for positively rotating one ofsaid rollers.

7. A device according to claim 1, comprising a drive wheel indriving'engagement with said record for rotating said resilient inkcarrier.

8. A device according to claim 1, comprising a rotatable ink storageroller in engagement with said resilient ink carrier, and means forrotating said roller to rotate said ink carrier while transferring inkthereto.

9. A device according to claim 1, comprising a pivotally mounted baseplate, means for mounting on said base plate said magnet and saidarmature with said printing lever extending therefrom and said resilientink carrier and said means for rotating said ink carrier, and means foradjnstably securing the position of said base plate relative to thesurface of said record.

10. A device according to claim 9, comprising means for adjustablysecuring the position of said base plate relative to the surface of saidrecord.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSCaldwell Oct. 24, 1949 Krahulec Jan. 8, 1952 guide

